Suspension for train-lighting dynamos



F. G. BEETEM.

I SUSPENSION FOR TRAIN LIGHTING DYNAMOS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21.1921. REN 1,415,083.

EWED MAR. 11, I922- Patented May 9, 1922.

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F. G. BEETEM. SUSPENSION FOR TRAIN LIGHTING DYNAMOS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, I92l- RENEWED MAR. I7, 1922.

1,415,083. I Patented May 9, 1922.

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V lNVE/VTUI? us 55s: I fl 5; G Beezem FRANK G. BEETEM, OF PHILADELPHIA, lENNSYLVANIA.

SUSPENSION FOR TRAIN-LIGHTING DYNAIVIOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 27, 1921, Serial No. 487,947. Renewed. March 3.7, 1922. Serial No. 544,688.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK G. BEETEM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new: and useful. Improvements in Suspensions for Train-Lighting Dynamos, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to car lighting systems in which a dynamo suspended from the car is driven by a belt from one of the axles,

and one of the objects of my invention is to provide simpler, less expensive and more rellable means for quickly ZtClJLtSt-lllg the "tension of the belt and for quickly releasingthe belt tension when required. This, and other ob ]ects, Wlll be more clearlyunderstoo-d by reference to the following de scription which will be given in connection with the accon'ipanying drawings forming part hereof and in which-.-

Figure 1 is a plan view; of a suspension embodying features of my invention and showing the parts in the operating position.

is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. r

Fig. 3 is a planview of thesame suspen sion shown in Figure 1, but with the parts in a position to release the belt tension, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the suspen-- sion shown in Fig 3.

In the drawing, 1 is a car lighting dynamo adapted for suspension from the under frame of a car and driven from the car axle by a belt 2 through the intervention of a pulley on the car axle. The dynamo is provided with lugs 3 extending upward from its frame and carrying a tubular bushing at within which is located a bearing pin 5,

from which the dynamo is supportedand I on which it is free to swing. The ends of the bearing pin fit into holes in the carriage frame 6 which is designed to support the bearing pin 5. The carriage frame 6 is in turn supported on a frame of wrought iron bars 7, upon which frame the carriage 6 is adapted to slide horizontally. A- tension springS is, pivotally connected at one end to the dynamo, as at 9, and atthe. other end to the carriage 6, as at 10. As the carriage is moved away from the axle which drives the dynamo, the spring 8 is extended and any desired tension is thereby applied to the belt. As the carriage 6 is moved toward the driving axle, the tension of the spring 8 is The movement of the carriage 6 along the frame 7 is effected by means of a lever 11 and a link 12. The lever 11 is pivotally supported from the frame 7 by means of a king bolt 13, which is firmly clamped to the frame 7 by means of the U-bolts 14. The king bolt'13 extends below the frame 7,

passing through a hole in the lever 11, the

latter being supported in position .by means of the nut 15. The lever 11 oonsists'of a long arm'16 and a short arm 17, these two arms being on opposite sides of the fulcrum provided by the king bolt 13, and arranged nearly at right angles to eachother.

The link 12 is pivoted at its outer end to latented May 9, 3.9225.

the outer end of the short lever arm 17 by means of a pin 18 and at its inner end it is pivoted to the carriage 6 by means, of apin 19. The link '12 is bent so as to clear the king bolt 13 and is provided at its inner end with a series of holes 20, any one of which may be used for receiving the pin1'9, thereby providing for various positions of the carriage 6. when the lever 11 is in the operating position shown in Figures 1 and 2. This adjustment of the position of the carriage 6 provides for varying the belt tension, or for adjusting the position of the dynamo to different lengths of belt. This adjustment is of special advantage in case the belt should stretch, or in case it is necessary to out out adefective portion of the-belt, thus reducing its length.

Riveted to the lever 11 is a'fiat strip of spring steel, or similar material 21, which is bent so as to be offset from the lever 11 at its end. A latching device 22 is fastened to an arm of the'frame 7 extending below the latter, and provided with two horizon tal jaws 23, notched to receivebetween them the lever 11 and the spring 21, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These jaws'by reason of the notches retain the lever in the operative position, but by compressing the spring 21, and slightly raising the lever 11, the latter can be released from the *jaws 23 and thrown around into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. I

In the position of the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the pin 18 at the short end of the lever 11 is thrown backward, and by reason of the link 12, the carriage 6 is moved backward until thereis no longer any tension on the belt and the spring 8 is collapsed. In this position, as referred to above, the belt can readily be removed and there being no tension on the spring 8, the pinl9 can readily be remove-d and inserted in another hole in the link 12, if desired.

It will be noted also by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 that in the running position the pin 18 has been thrown past the center, so that the tension of the belt transmitted through the spring 8 to' the carriage 6, and tending to pull the carriage 6 toward the left, will exert a force on the pin 18 tending to throw it still further around, and therefore tending to throw the long arm 16 of the lever 11 against the latching device 22, which acts as a stop. This design, therefore, provides a double assurance against any tendency in service for the lever 11 to'swing around into the released position.

In addition tothis double safeguard, a wedging device 24 is provided, pivoted from the carriage 6 beneath arm of the frame 7 by means oft-he pin 25. This wedging device 24 is provided with an eccentric cy lindrical surface 26, which when the device 24: is rotated into the position shown in Fig.

' 2 firmly clamps the carriage 6 down on the arm of the frame 7 lVhenthe wedging device24 is rotated in a'coun'ter-clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 4, the clamping action is released. 7

It will be obvious to those skilled in art that modifications may be made in'details of construction and arrangement without departing'from the spirit of the invention which is not limited as tothose matters or otherwise than as the state of the art and the appended claims may require:

I claim: 7

1. In a car lighting system the combination of a suspension carriage, a support for the carriage permitting longitudinal motion thereof with respect to the car, a dynamo pivotally supported from the carriage, means for driving the dyanmo from the car axle, a lever fulcrumed from a point fixed with respect to the car, and a link connecting the lever with the carriage whereby the position of the latter may be adjusted with respect to the car. v, v I

2'. Ina car lighting SYStGIH'thG combination of a suspension-carriage, a support for the carriage permitting longitudinal motion thereof-with respect to the car, a dynamo pivotally supported from the carriage,

means for driving the dyanmo from the car axle, a lever fulcrumed from a point fixed with respect to the car, and a link, ad-

justable as to its active length, connecting the lever with the carriage whereby the position of the latter may be adjusted with re- 1 the carriage permitting longitudinal motion thereof with respect to the car, a dynamo pivetally supported from the carriage,

means for driving the dynamo from the car axle, a spring for the dynamo, a lever fulcrumed from a point fixed with respect to p the car and a link connecting the lever with the carriage whereby the position of the lat ter may be adjusted with respect to the car.

4:. In a car lighting system the combina tion of a suspension carriage, a support for the carriage permitting longitudinal motion thereof with respect to the car, a dynamo pivotally supported from the carriage,

thereofwith respect to the "car, a dynamo" pivotally supported from i the carriage,-

means for drivingv the dynamo from the car means for driving the dynamoafrom the car I axle, alever fu'lcru'med from a point fixed with respect to the car, a link connecting the lever with the carriage whereby the po-' sition of the latter maybe adjusted with respect to the car, and a latch for holding the lever in its operatingposition. I a

6, In a ca lighting system the combination of a driving'axle and pulley, a suspension carriage, a support for the carriage permitting longitudinal motion thereof withr'espect to the car, a dynamo pivotally sup portedfrom the carriage, a.belt"for drivingthe dynamo from the'axle pulley, a spring for the dynamo, alever fulcrumed from a point fixed with respect to the car, a link connecting the lever with the carriage whereby the position of the latter may be adjustedwith respect to the driving axle,

and a stop fixed with respectto the car and located to prevent further motion of the lever after it has passed the position correspending to the maximum distanceof the carriage from the driving axle. I

FRANK G.'BEETEM, 

